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February2009
Vol.XIX,No.2
BuyLakeland.Itmakesgood
cents! 
•visitLakelandChamber.com
SBAAwarded:
Seewhoreceivedtheplaqueforthismonthlyaward.
Page2 AfterHours:
Itwasa“BigKid’sPlayground”night.
Page14Business&Breakfast:
GLTTotalOfficehostsDecemberevent.
Page15
 ALSO INSIDE:
NewMembers•LeadershipLakeland•RibbonCuttings•MembersontheMove
2009KeynoteSpeaker 
BETTYNGUYEN
•MARCH19,2009•TheDiversityBusinessCounciloftheLakelandAreaChamberofCommerceispleasedtoannouncethatthe
CommUnityCelebration
keynotespeakerwillbeBettyNguyen,theweekendanchorofCNNNewsroom.TheCommUnityCelebrationisauniqueeventthatprovides youandyouremployeeswithpracticalknowledgethatcanbeincorporatedintoyourorganizationandcommunity.Makeyourreservationsnowbycalling863/688.8551,ext.228.
Diversity:Don’tHideFromIt,Celebrateit!
inside
thisissue
FORUMFORBUSINESS
monthly
LAKELANDAREACHAMBEROFCOMMERCE
•
Continued on Page 4
sponsoredby:
 Joinusinwelcomingour2006AmericanLeagueChampionDetroitTigersatJokerMarchantStadium,Florida’smostmagnificentspringtrainingfacility!
Enjoy“TheFamousMenu”whichbeginsservingat6PM–8PM.RoastedCorn,Shrimp,BBQRibs,Char-BroiledSteaks,ItalianSausageandBakedBeans!
 T hursda y,Fe bruar y1 9,2 0 0 9Ga tesOpena t6PMS tea ksSer ved7PM–8PMOn l y
 NoTa keOu tOrders–OneS tea kPerPerson
Adults:
$50.00
Children12&Under:
$25.00
(We host the Tiger Organization)
P ur c haseY our T i c k et sO nl i ne!
V i si t 
Lak el and C hamber .c om
and cl i ck on63r d Annual T i ge r BBQ 
 
DreamwardTravel,Inc.isamoderndaytravelagencyandmore.OwnerMariaThomaspreferstobeknownasa“TravelDestinationSpecialist”–notonlybookingflights,hotels,dinnerreservations,show/theatreticketsandgolfteetimes,butalsosecuringscooterrentalsforthephysically-challengedcustomers,handlingoxygenrequirements,specialfoodneedsandsomuchmore.LocatedindowntownLakeland,at137S.FloridaAve,adjacenttothePolkTheatreentrance,DreamwardTravelwillflirtwithyourtravelfantasiesinatinystreet-facingofficewithGIGANTICpersonality!Paintedfrontwindowsofdreamycloudsandfar-off visionsoftravelhavealluredpassers-bypurelyoutofcuriosity.Onceinsidethisinvitingoffice,shadedbyitsgreen&whiteoutsideawnings,you’llbegladyouwentthroughthetroubletogetthere!German-bornMariahaslivedinGermany,France,Spain,Mexico,California,Arizona,OhioandnowFloridaandhergraciousopinions,expertiseandtravelrecommendationsarehighlyvaluedandrespectedbyallherclientsyoungandold.DreamwardTravel’scorporatephilosophyistotreateveryclientwith“honestyandintegrity.”Despitethecountry’seconomicsituation,Mariabelievespeoplestillneedtorelaxandgetaway…forevenacoupleofdaysorso.Manyofushavetodecidewhethertorenovateourkitchensortravel.Maria’spositive,pro-activeresponseis“Doboth.Stayclosertohomebutdo,indeed,getawayforafewdaystonearbylocalfavoriteFloridadestinationsandspend2-3nightsawayinsteadofaweek.”Havingaknackformakingherclients’dreamsbecomerealitycomeswithmanyawardsandrecognitions.MariaThomashasachievedthelevelof‘CertifiedTravelCounselor”throughICTA(InstituteofCertifiedTravelAgents),‘AccreditedCruiseCounselor’and‘MasterCruiseCounselor”throughCLIA(CruiseLineIndustryAssociation)andisaDestinationSpecialistforAustralia,NewZealand,Scandinavia,Holland,MississippiandFlorida.SheispresentlyaffiliatedwithNAWBO(NationalAssociationof WomenBusinessOwners)andtheLakelandChamberofCommerce.MariahasworkedwithBigBrothers,BigSistersandasavolunteeratthePolkTheatreforover8years.TheLakelandAreaChamberofCommercewouldliketocongratulateDreamwardTravel,Inc.astheSmallBusinessoftheMonthawardwinnerforJanuary.
VolumeInformation:February2009,Vol.XIX,No.2AnuSaxena
Chairman of the Board  
AaronBates
 Managing Editor 
KathleenL.Munson
 Publisher & President 
KingstonPartners
 Design 
LakelandAreaChamberofCommerce
ForumForBusinessMonthly 
No.
2
SmallBusinessoftheMonthAwardpresented
 Januarywinner
Dreamward Trav
 
el, Inc.Maria Thomas, Certified Travel ConsultantPolk Theatre Building137 South Florida AvenueLakeland, FL 33801-4664863/802-8409 phone877/804-8409 toll free phonemaria@dreamwardtravel.comwww.dreamwardtravel.com
Small Business of the Month Committee Member Maureen Shaw (Flower Cart  Florist) presents Maria omas, Dreamward Travel, Inc. with the January Small  Business of the Month Award.
 
It was a Chocolate Lovers Paradise!
The December New Member Reception was hosted by Farris &Foster’s Chocolate Factory located in Lakeside Village. NewChamber members indulged themselves with hot chocolate, appetizersand most of all, “yummy” chocolate samples. Chamber staff presentedthe new members an overview of what Chamber programs areavailable to them to help build their businesses and get the mostout of their Chamber memberships. Each new member had theopportunity to present a 30-second commercial about themselvesand their business. Many thanks to Julie Cook and her staff forhosting this “sweet” event. Thanks also go along to Riverside National Bank for being the Presenting Sponsor for the 2008 NewMember Reception series.
Farris & Foster’s Chocolate Factory hosts
New Member Reception
 New Members network with Chamber President Kathleen Munson. New members listen to presentations given by Chamber staff.
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